Help identifying a part.

[rockingjd]

I bought a car over the weekend. It came with a bunch of spare parts. This was on a spare intake manifold. 

[vintage6t]

If it was on the intake manifold, I'd guess a vacuum tap for some type of aftermarket vacuum operated accessory. For mounting,  sandwiched between the intake's carb mounting flange and carb?

 

According to this ebay listing it's an aftermarket water temp sending unit. That would imply it would sandwich between the thermostat housing and block. I don't think temp sending unit is correct. https://www.ebay.com/itm/304805154239?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=WOmHyr2iS56&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=5KNwZHdaT5K&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

 

 

 

[rockingjd]

My Google search also came up with that ebay listing. I don't think it's for a temp gauge.

 

The car is a 40 Plymouth convertible. I'm thinking it's for the vacuum operated top.

[Merle Coggins]

It could have been part of an aftermarket water injection system. I've never seen one, but I've heard that they were often used 'back in the day'. The theory is that the water mist that was introduced into the intake air/fuel charge helped to cool the combustion temps to reduce detonation.  

[rockingjd]

I've seen that on old farm tractors Merle. I have a John Deere model D that has a tap to controll water into the carb. 

[vintage6t]

2 hours ago, rockingjd said:

The car is a 40 Plymouth convertible. I'm thinking it's for the vacuum operated top.

 

I have a 41 Plymouth Convertible.  From memory, at least for the 41, the vacuum for the top is tapped right into the manifold. Also it would seem the orifice diameter seems to be much too small to operate the top. If I get a chance, I'll post a pic later.

[Ivan_B]

This does look like a vacuum line. "Temp. sensor" from eBay is way off, there is no coolant between the carb and the intake. As for the water injection - the hole would be way too large, in my opinion. There were different ways to add water into the ignition chamber, but it must be diffused like the fuel/air mixture.

Could this be for a "performance" vacuum gauge? ?

 

Later: found it - https://www.mamotorworks.com/vw/product/vw-1950-1979-top-engine-cylinder-lubricator-oiler-kit-by-ampco-319334

What kind of car did you get, again? ?

Edited July 10, 2023 by Ivan_B

[rockingjd]

Interesting lubricator Ivan_B but definitely not an air cooled engine.

[FarmerJon]

Jd:

The Ampco lubricators were made for all sorts of engines, a semi generic aftermarket accessory. 

Idea is to add extra lubrication to the air/fuel mix to help protect the upper engine. 

 

Cool part, could easily be lightly modified to be number of things.

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by FarmerJon

[Ivan_B]

I would think that this is mainly useful for 2-cycle engines, etc., to avoid mixing custom gas/oil fuel. Not sure how beneficial this would be for a regular 4 cycle engine. In general, I believe that oil getting into the combustion chamber (like when you get a leaking valve stem) is not good

[Bryan G]

Looks like a close competitor of the Marvel's Mystery Oil Upper Cylinder Lubricator. Debatable how much good they did, but they didn't do any harm.

[Sniper]

34 minutes ago, Ivan_B said:

I would think that this is mainly useful for 2-cycle engines, etc., to avoid mixing custom gas/oil fuel. Not sure how beneficial this would be for a regular 4 cycle engine. In general, I believe that oil getting into the combustion chamber (like when you get a leaking valve stem) is not good

Well you are correct that generally adding oil into the combustion chamber is a bad idea the supposition that it wasn't used on four cycle engines is off. Lots of people did goofy stuff back in the day. We are still doing it now you'd be surprised the number of people that believe we have to use a high zinc and phosphorus oil on our engines you don't. It's not going to hurt but it isn't needed

[Ivan_B]

33 minutes ago, Sniper said:

...high zinc and phosphorus oil...

What the hell is that... Not going to google it, before bed, sorry ?

[Sniper]

It's an additive package to oil help with lubricating parts that have a high Shear potential. Modern oil has less than it did 10 15 20 years ago but a lot more than it had back when our engines were new.